Empty
by invisibleferret
Summary: The bench was always empty. Always empty, except for when Hermione was there. But on that Tuesday someone else was there, someone she really didn't expect. Hermione split up with Ron, closes herself off from the world and puts all her energy into her work. That all changes when she meets Draco Malfoy, again. But why does he want to get to know her? Doesn't he hate her? DM/HG(GW/HP)


**Chapter 1**

The bench was empty. The bench was always empty. Always empty, except for every Tuesday night, because every Tuesday night this was Hermione Granger's bench.

Draco knew this because every day he would walk through the park back home after work as an auror, and every day the bench would be empty, but on Tuesdays Hermione would be there. He never knew why, he never asked why, in fact he didn't think she ever saw him. But he saw her.

Maybe one day he would speak to her he wondered as he walked though the park on a Monday night, he was convinced she hated him but maybe tomorrow he would speak to her, ask her all the questions he'd been dying to ask.

Why did Hermione sit on the bench every Tuesday?

More specifically why on Tuesdays, why not any other day and where were her friends?

Why was she no longer with Ron?

(Draco knew they had broken up, but he assumed they would just go back of being friends, however he was still sure he saw Hermione purposely avoiding Ron at the Ministry)

Did Hermione really hate him as much as he was convinced she did?

He had more questions, but he knew she would never answer any of them and he presumed she would never want to speak to him anyway. But hey, he shrugged, as he wrapped his green trench coat tighter to fight the cold, he would never know if he didn't try he thought.

...

Hermione yawned as she sat staring blankly at the files she was supposed to be studying.

"I've been staring at the same paragraph for two whole hours, what the hell is wrong with me" she sighed to no one in particular.

"Maybe you just need a rest"

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed. "You scared the life out of me, what are you doing here?" Hermione clutched her chest, a confused expression on her face, "what's wrong?"

"I came to check on you, you were supposed to come to mine and Harry's house for dinner this evening, remember?"

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot, I guess I'm just so wrapped up in my work and-"

"Hermione! Calm down, it's okay I can see your busy with your work it doesn't matter, anyway you can always just come over another day!" Ginny spoke in a rush, eager to calm Hermione down. "I'll see you later"

And Ginny was right, Hermione sighed. She was busy with work. (But then again when was Hermione Granger not busy with work?)

Hermione worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the ministry of magic. She was constantly working, constantly studying files, preparing for hearings. Sometimes even she felt she was overworking.

Perhaps she didn't need to work this much, Hermione thought, she did spend an awfully long time reading the cases, studying them poring over every little detail. But as Snape put it she was an 'insufferable little know it all.' But she always had been she supposed.

"No it's okay Ginny, you should stay here, I could do with a break, plus I haven't seen you for ages!" Hermione blurted out. It was true she hadn't seen Ginny for such a long time.

They used to see each other all the time, back when Hermione still used to go to the burrow every weekend for dinner, of course that was when she was still with Ron.

Ron. She still remembered it as clear as if it was yesterday, the realisation, the argument outside the burrow, the shouting and the tears. She hadn't been back to the burrow since, despite Ginny and Mrs Weasley's pleas for her to come for the Weasley's weekly family dinners. They had long since given up hope on that.

Hermione got up and ushered Ginny to sit down in the lounge. She then fetched a glass of wine each for the two of them and joined Ginny on the couch.

Hermione's living room was decorated with dark purple walls, pale brown furniture, with purple cushions and cream carpets, it was warm and cosy, just how she liked it. Especially now in winter where she could turn on the fire, put her feet up and relax. At least she could relax if she wasn't always busy and stressed, whether it be about work, Ron, or something entirely different.

She didn't have much time to just relax, be herself, or even have much time with her friends these days. Since breaking up with Ron, she had basically just immersed herself in her work, anything to avoid thinking about Ron. Hermione's social life collapsed as she missed dinner dates, avoided Ron (and all her friends who talked to him) at the ministry, and the fact that she simply just didn't want to go out; despite Ginny attempting to persuade her several times a month.

It had been almost 6 months and Hermione had just got to the point where she had got over Ron, but she still didn't think she was at the stage where she could forgive him, and they could become friends again. No not yet.

Hermione dragged herself out of her thoughts and focused her attention back to Ginny,

"So how have you been" Hermione asked, turning to look at Ginny.

Ginny looked Hermione straight in the eyes and took a deep breath, "I think Harry's going to Propose."

The words tumbled from Ginny's mouth at such a speed that Hermione barely registered what Ginny had said.

"You think WHAT?!" Hermione all but shouted, her voice as shocked as she looked.

"You think what?" Hermione repeated, a little calmer this time, "what makes you think that?"

"Well..." Ginny took another deep breath with her eyes sparkling, and Hermione prepared herself for a long explanation - Ginny liked to go into detail.

"Well, He was looking up on his muggle internet laptop google thingy about places to go dinner on Saturday, and, from what I've seen from sneaking a look over his shoulder, all look pretty expensive, also he bought me a dress yesterday to wear for the meal - gosh it's so pretty you should see it, long red and flowing with little gems around the waist - anyway, he also took my dad over to the side last Weasley's dinner to talk to him! So... What do you think, is he going to or not?" Ginny finished with a sigh, a wistful look on her face

"I can't be sure Ginny, you know that, but it all sounds pretty damn convincing to me!"

"You think?! I guess we can't be completely certain though can we?"

"No of course we can't! But I tell you what we can do, so you don't get your hopes up if he's not, I'll come over for dinner tomorrow, if that's okay with of course?" Hermione asked, she knew what Ginny would say, but she still felt as if she should ask.

"Obviously it is, silly! You can come over when ever you like, your mine and Harry's best friend!"

Hermione blushed at the compliment, "Okay so I'll come over for dinner then, with luck, Harry will tell me anyway, because as you know, he's completely terrible at keeping secrets, He always has to tell someone or it'll just be burning up his conscience !" Hermione explained, Ginny nodding along.

"And" Hermione added as an afterthought, "as you say, I am his bestest ever friend in the whole entire world!"

Both of them burst out laughing at this, and Ginny thought she almost saw a glimpse of Hermione's old sparkle and light in her eyes as she watched Hermione double over in laughter, a big smile on her face as they joked about Ginny's boyfriend and Hermione's best friend for so many years.

Once Hermione had got her breath back she added, "If that doesn't work I'll find away to ask him discreetly, without giving away that you suspect him, ok?"

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Ginny replied, eyes sparkling.

Still grinning Ginny hopped up from the couch, "I better go" she said "Harry will be wondering where I am"

"Okay it was great to see you, and catch up with each other!" Hermione said and she meant it, she really did, she turned around with a smile on her face as she closed the door to her flat. Maybe things will get better she sighed.

Tomorrow was Tuesday, and maybe tomorrow she would make more of an effort to socialise and be involved. She would go to dinner with Harry and Ginny at Grimmauld Place and yes she would attempt to stop closing herself off from the rest of the world, she really would try to move on and be a better person, Hermione thought.

...

Hope you liked the first chapter of this. This was a completely spur of the moment thing, this is my first fanfic, my little sister and best friend have been trying to persuade me to write one and I never have until just now when I randomly felt like it so I just sat down and wrote. I have no idea of the plot line or anything for this story yet and I have no idea when I will update it and write a new chapter all i know is that it will be a dramione fic. So I hope this fanfiction turns out okay and that people will actually like it :) -grace


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